


A Vengeance

by loftyperch



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Angst, Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Compliant, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Spoilers, all the feels
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-03
Updated: 2018-05-03
Packaged: 2019-05-01 16:15:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14524410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/loftyperch/pseuds/loftyperch
Summary: What more do they have to lose?





	A Vengeance

**Author's Note:**

> More "Infinity War Feels" than "Infinity War Fix-It."
> 
> As they say in my neck of the woods, "SPOILAHS!" But it's been like a week, and we're all fans here ... so *shrug*.

_I want to die_ , thought Tony, as if he could trade his life for Peter's. _This is all my fault_ , as if enough guilt would bring back his kid. _My kid_ , as if there was something he could have done.

"He killed my sister, too," offered the mysterious, unwavering woman he'd been left with.

Tony looked up and saw a tear on her cheek.

"Let's get you home," she added, voice cold and metal and empty.

"Why?" _Just leave me here to die._

"Because you have one. Earth, right?"

He nodded. She helped him up.

\-------------

"Could you reach him?" Steve asked as soon as Natasha crossed the threshold. 

"He's gone ... and the baby."

"Jesus."

"I'm gonna go help Laura for a few weeks. Bruce said he'll come with me."

"That's good. Should I go, too?"

"No. Shuri's going to need you here."

Steve nodded.

"Any word from Tony?"

"No. At least not yet," he said with an optimism that felt more like a formality.

\-----------------

"Your majesty!"

Thor crushed the Valkyrie in his arms, and she crushed him in hers.

"How many live?" he asked into her hair.

"Two hundred fifteen," she wept. "How many on the Statesman?"

"None."

" _None_?!"

"Thanos destroyed the ship after he removed the prisoners. Heimdall ... Loki ..." Even now they hurt the worst of all.

"Hulk?"

"Alive on Earth. Heimdall was able to save him."

"Is that still where we're headed?"

"Yes. Gather everyone and any supplies you can find. I've got to check on Eitri, but I'll return soon."

\----------------------------

"Where we gonna land?" asked Tony, not really caring.

"Wakanda."

"Why there?"

"I have a man on the ground ... sort of."

As soon as they picked up a satellite, Tony summoned what nanites he had left and made the hardest call of his life.

"Mr. Stark?"

"May ... I'm so sorry ..."

She sobbed, and he tried to be strong for her.

"were you with him?

"Yes."

"Thank you for calling ... It's better to know."

"Please let me know if you ever need anything."

When he hung up with May, Tony made the second hardest call of his life.

Pepper didn't answer.

\---------------------

"Your majesty, I know I can never replace your brother, but he was always there to help me, so I want to be here to help you," Steve bowed his head.

"I'm not queen yet," Shuri corrected.

"Well, either way, I'm here for you."

"Hey, uh, sorry to interrupt ..." A small, furry head poked through the door. "We got a ship coming in from Titan. One wounded human and one damaged robot lady."

"We'll be right down," the little princess sighed, so able to put her grief aside and pack up her instruments.

She might not be queen, thought Steve, but she'd make a damn good one.

\-------------------------

Nebula's ship set down roughly in the center of the Wakandan palace complex. She leant Tony her shoulder as they descended into the warm, clean air. The brilliant blue sky was an affront to their pain and a comfort at the same time.

They rounded the hull and were met with stretchers and many capable hands.

At first Tony didn't recognize the scruffy white guy that was staring at him so intensely, so sadly. Then it hit him like that knife under his ribs.

"Cap?"

"Tony."

They tore into each other with their embrace, clinging and clawing and clutching. They whispered apologies, harsh in each other's ears. They fell to their knees on the concrete, and Tony didn't even feel his wound reopen under the pressure of Steve's arms.

A young girl had to pull them apart when she noticed the blood spreading fresh across Tony's back.

"You can have him back in a few hours," she promised Steve, all but shoving him off of her patient. "Go clear the landing pad. Thor will be back any time now."

"Yeah, right," he agreed, even as he kept Tony's hand in his own.

"Steve," Tony's voice was fading as his blood pressure dropped. "Do me one favor ..." He fought to his feet and rolled onto the stretcher with the girl's help.

"Anything." Steve leaned in, pressing their foreheads together for emphasis.

"Shave."

Steve's smile was weak and sad, but to Tony it looked like joy itself.

**Author's Note:**

> To be continued ...


End file.
